OBJECTIVE Obesity may be accompanied by enhanced metabolic disturbances but not all obese patients suffer from metabolic syndrome. Since metabolic homeostasis is under control of genetic factors underlying expression of adipokines, we aimed to compare the serum concentrations of adiponectin and resistin, and polymorphism in their genes, in overweight or obese Polish women. METHODS The study included 265 women with BMI above 25 kg/m2 (140 metabolically healthy and 125 with metabolic syndrome) and 104 non-obese women as a control group. Anthropometric parameters (BMI, BIA, WHR), blood pressure, lipid, glucose and HOMA-IR profiles as well as serum concentrations of adiponectin, HMW adiponectin and resistin were evaluated. Gene polymorphisms of adiponectin gene (276G/T; 11377C/G; 11391G/A) and resistin gene (420C/G; 62G/A; 537A/C) were analyzed using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. RESULTS Higher serum concentrations of total adiponectin and lower levels of resistin were found in metabolically healthy patients when compared to those diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. No differences of serum HMW and resistin concentrations were observed between overweight or obese but metabolically healthy subjects and normal weight controls. No associations of investigated polymorphisms and the presence of metabolic syndrome were noticed in overweight/obese women with metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS The assessment of total adiponectin in sera seems to be promising target in distinguishing subjects with obesity who undergo a diagnostic procedure for metabolic syndrome. Moreover, the evaluation of adipokine array may help to select patients with higher risk of metabolic disturbances that are associated with severe diseases.